On March 23, 2005, in Podgorica, the Center for the Development of Non-Governmental Organizations and ECNL hosted a roundtable on NGOs' economic activities. Representatives at the roundtable included high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Finance and Tax Administration, as well as representatives of NGOs and local experts. Mr. Stevo Muk, Director of the Center, and Mr. Milorad Katnic, Assistant to the Minister of Finance, opened the roundtable.
The Law on Non-Governmental Organizations in Montenegro does not provide clear guidelines on the scope of the legitimate economic activities NGOs can pursue. The vague and overbroad legal provisions regulating the economic activity of NGOs, and the interpretation of those provisions by the registration authority and oversight agencies, have been identified by all key stakeholders as the most critical NGO legal framework issue.
Subsequently, ECNL prepared sample amendments and accompanying explanatory notes, which the Center for the Development of Non-Governmental Organizations distributed among key stakeholders for feedback and input. The amendments will serve as the starting point for discussion within the Ministry of Finance working group.